Launching this week, the latest release from Joe Freshgoods taps the New Balance 1000 runner for Y2K nostalgia as part of a wider aughts-inspired collection.

New Balance

Joe Freshgoods x New Balance

Longtime collaborators Joe Freshgoods and New Balance have partnered up once again, this time releasing two colorways of the New Balance 1000 shoe.

As with previous drops, this one comes with an element of storytelling. The collection is entitled “When Things Were Pure”, as Joe Freshgoods looks back to the early aughts – the years following the original 1999 debut of the NB 1000. The narrative frames this as a time of simplicity, style and a source of inspiration for Mr Freshgoods himself, Joe Robinson. Of the collection, JFG wrote on Instagram “When I think about the time when things were pure, I’m constantly placed back to the early 2000s when the social environment of the basement party was peak LIFE for me and my friends.”

The shoes feature as part of a wider collection under the same name: expect retro jerseys, slogan sweatshirts and logo tees that all hark back to the era.

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History of New Balance 1000

What better way to look back to the aughts than the New Balance 1000? First launched on the cusp of a new millennium, it gained popularity as a staple chunky runner. It featured in the 1999 New Balance running commercial and was released in several widths, suggesting an intention to position the shoe as a practical, reliable runner. The 1000 is considered one of the lesser-known models in the New Balance archives, deviating from their signature ‘dad sneaker’ aesthetic in favor of a more youthful aesthetic.

The Comeback

After a hiatus, New Balance has reintroduced the 1000 into its roster for 2024, and this partnership sets up the shoe as a must-have retro runner for the year. It’s crafted with a wide mesh upper disrupted by iridescent leather overlays, reflective piping and custom branding, set on an ABZORB midsole and gum rubber outsole. It’s quintessentially Y2K with a panelled upper and exaggerated thick sole, so it fits in perfectly with Joe Freshgoods’ current nostalgia for all things Y2K.

Joe Freshgoods/New Balance

The Colorways

Following on from previous collaborations where bold colorways, cartoon-like illustrations and retro influences reigned supreme, the 1000 is set to follow a similar design language. This time, the collaboration has produced two unique colorways – both with a distinctly Y2K edge.

Model: Joe Freshgoods New Balance 1000 ‘Pink Mink’
Price: USD$170
Release date: April 12
Buy here: joefreshgoods.com

Joe Freshgoods

The metallic-pink colorway brings a pop of nostalgia to the 1000, channeling the early-aughts nostalgia.

Model: Joe Freshgoods New Balance 1000 ‘Black Ice’
Price: USD$170
Release date: April 12
Buy here: joefreshgoods.com | End Launches (April 19)

Joe Freshgoods

This darker colorway has black mesh that’s accented with similarly metallic panels, this time in a deeper copper tone.

This is the eighth instalment in the long-standing collaboration between New Balance and the Chicago-based label. Previous releases offered a Joe Freshgoods take on popular styles including the 550, 990v3, 2002R and more. 

The Joe Freshgoods x New Balance 1000 launch is available on joefreshgoods.com from April 12 and online at newbalance.com from April 18.